Motor-suspension for railway work



(No Model.)

' E. W. RICE, Jr.

MOTOR SUSPENSION FOR RAILWAY WORK.

Patented Mar. 17,-1,891.

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EDVIN \VILBUR RICE, JR, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOTOR-SUSPENSION FOR RAILWAY WORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,260, dated March 17, 1891.

Application filed August 15, 1889- Serial No. 320,905- (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN WILBUR RICE, J r., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful MotorSuspension for Railway lVork, of which the following is a specifioation.

My invention relates to the manner of mounting or supporting electric motors when applied to the propulsion of railway-cars.

The objects of my invention are to secure rigidity, strength, and an unvarying relation of motor and driving-axle of the car, as well as accessibility for purposes of repair and an automatic adjustment of the commutator for variations of lead in different conditions of working I My invention relates particularly to those methods of suspension or support for the motor in which such motor is in part supported by an axle of the car.

The principal part of my invention consists in the provision of a frame sleeved to the caraxle and provided wit-h journal-bearings for the armature-axis and the axes of any intermediate gear between the armature and caraxle, the motor field-magnet being supported on the armature-axis, as will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

My invention consists, also, in the novel construction and mounting of the frame itself, whereby I secure great rigidity.

My invention consists, also, in other fea tures of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then more particularly specified in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is plan, and Fig. 2' a side elevation, of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modified manner of supporting the parts of the apparatus.

F indicates a frame of brass, iron, or other suitable material, consisting of two side or longitudinal pieces and a cross-piece, as shown, all cast or formed in one piece. The side pieces F are sleeved or journaled upon the axle I of the ear or vehicle, and are provided likewise with journal-bearings for the axes E E The removable caps of such journal-bearings are indicated at T.

A A indicate the field-magnet of an electric motor, H the field-magnet poles of the same, and D the armature mounted on the armature-shaft E. The armature-shaft is connected through suitable intermediate gear with the car-axle I, as well understood in the art. The shaft of such intermediate gear is indicated at The frame F, being supported at one end by the car-axle I, is elastically supported at its other end by some portion of the truckframe K. For this purpose the crossbar F is mounted between springs or cushions I 1 supported in the frame K, as indicated. The field-magnet is supported at one end on the armature-shaft E by sleeves P P, preferably of brass or other non-magnetic material, which are carried by extensions from the field-magnet pole-pieecs H, as shown. The opposite end of the field-magnet may be supported in any desired manner. I prefer to support it elastically from the car-body or from the truck-frame-as, for instance, by means of an elastic support, such as indicated at 0, Fig.

1, or by a flexibleball-and-soeket joint, as indicated at L, Fig. 3. It will be observed that by means of this support for the mot0r,independent of the frame carrying the bearings therefor, said frame is relieved of the weight of the motor and the weight is transferred to ,a support independent of such frame, While the rigid motor-frame around the motor preserves an accurate alignment of the armatare-shaft and the driven axle of the vehicle. The particular manner of supporting the yokeend of the field-magnet elastically or flexibly does not form any part of my present invention, and other means besides those shown maybe employed in connection with the particular means hereinafter described for supporting the opposite end of the motor. Other special devices may be employed lnstead of those shown for supporting the end-of the motor independently of the motor-frame.

The commut-ator-brushes of the machine are carried by a yoke N, supported by the frame F, instead of by the field-magnet or extensions from the pole-pieces thereof. The

brush-arm extends over the sleeve P and arms, carrying the same into the open space between the latter and over the commutatorcylinder.

TOO

It is Well-known that in a motor the lead is negative or opposite to that of a generator; Unless some means is provided for varying the position of the brushes upon the commutator sparking will occur with changes of load and particularly when a reversal in the direction of rotation takes place. By this method'of suspension and mounting of the brush-support this tendency to sparking is automatically compensated for by the rotation of the field-magnets about the armature. It will be noticed that when a heavy load comes on, the motor-frame will be depressed or raised according to the direction of rotation of the armature, and as one end of the field-magnet is relatively fixed in position the field-magnet and armature will occupy different positions with respect to each other when the motor-frame is raised or depressed. This change of position of the field and armature with relation to each other is such (the brushes moving with the motor-frame) that the effect is practically the same as a backward lead given to the brushes as the load comes on that is, a heavyload rotates the field forward in the direction of revolution of the arm ature.

By my construction of supporting-frame and mounting of the parts, herein'before described, I not only secure stiffness and rigidity when the apparatus is subjected to strain, but also an adaptation of the mechanism to vibrations, jars, or movements of the car and supporting parts,which will maintain the mechanism in unchanged relation during all conditions of workin I am, moreover, enabled to secure ready accessibility to the electric motor, since by simply removing the journal-bearing caps T the entire motor can readily be taken out through a trap in the car-floor for making necessary repairs or for any other purpose.

That I claim as my invention is- 1. In an electric-railway motor, the combination of a motor field-magnet sleeved at one end on its armature-shaft, and an armatureshaft journaled in an independent frame carried at one end by an axle of the car and at its other by the truck-frame.

2. The combination, substantially as described, of the journal-bearing frame for the armature elastically supported at one end and sleeved to an axle of the car at the other, and a field-magnet supported on the armatureaxis'and at its other by an independent suport.

3. The combination of the frame sleeved at one end on an axle of the car and supported at its other end by the truck-frame, of a motor-armature journaled in said frame, and a motor field-magnet supported at one end by the'armature-axis and at the other by the carbody.

4. The combination, with the supportingframe sleeved at one end on an axle of the car and elastically supported at its other, of a motor-armature journaled in said frame, and a motor field-magnet carried at one end by supporting-sleeves on the armature-axis and at its other by an attachment to the carbody.

5. The combination, with the supportingframe sleeved at one end on the driving-axle and elastically supported at its other, of an armature and gear journaled in said frame, and a field-magnet having a non-magnetic supporting sleeve or sleeves at one end borne by a shaft journaled in the frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

(-3. The combination, substantially as described, of the frame F, sleeved at one end on the driving-axle and elastically supported at its other, of a motor field-magnet supported at its yoke end in any suitable manner and having its field-pole end supported by the armature shaft, journal bearings for said shaft carried by the frame near its elastically-supported end, and a commutator-brush support mounted on said frame.

7. The combination, in an electric-railway motor, of a supporting-frame sleeved at one end on the car-axle and a driving electric motor supported at one end by the armatureaxis of the motor j ournaled in said frame and at its other independently of said frame.

8. The combination, in an electric-railway motor, of a supporting-frame sleeved at one end on the car-axle, and a driving electric motor supported at one end by an axis that is journaled in the frame and at its other independently of said frame.

9. In an electric-railway motor, the combination, substantially as described, of a motor-frame in which the armature of the motor is mounted, and a support for the motor independent of such frame, and for the purpose described.

10. In an electric-railway motor, the combination, substantially as described, of a frame provided with bearings for the gear which transmits motion from the armature to the caraxle, in combination with an independent elastic support for the motor sustained independently of said frame.

11. The combination, in an electric-railway motor, of a frame sleeved on the car-axle, and an elastic support independent of said frame and sustaining the field-magnet.

12. The combination, in an electric-railway motor, of a rigid frame for holding the parts in proper alignment with the car-axle, and a spring-support independent .of said frame, whereby the frame may be relieved of the weight of the motor..

13. The combination, in an electric-railway motor, of a pivoted frame sustaining the armature, and a field-magnet sustained on pivoted bearings at one end carried by the frame and at the other by a support independent of the frame at the outer end.

14. In an electric-railway motor, an armature and gear supporting frame formed of two side pieces and a cross-piece integral with one another and constituting a continuous frame independent of the motor, said frame IIO being sleeved at one end upon an axle of the car and elasticallysupported at its other end on the same side of said car-axle with the electric motor sustained by said frame.

15. The combination, in an electric-railway motor, of a supportingframe in which the armature of the motor is journaled, and a field-magnet for said armature supported at one end by non-magnetic brackets sleeved on the armature-shaft.

1G. The combination, substantially as described, of the gear and armature supporting frame carried by the truck'frame and caraxle, and a motor field-magnet supported at one end by the armature-shaft.

17. In an electric-railway motor, the combination of a supporting-frame provided with journal-bearin gs forthe armature-shaft of the motor, and a motorfield-magnet supported on the armature-sh aft by sleeves thereon and by supports attached to the truck-frame or carbody. I

18. The combination, in an electric-railway motor, of a field-magnet having its field-pole end freely supported so as to be movable by change of load, a movable supporting-frame therefor, and a connnutator-brush support carried by the movable frame supporting the field-magnet, as and for the purpose described.

19. In an electric-railway motor, a rigid supporting-frame for the armature and gear shafts, saidframc consisting of two longitudinal or side pieces sleeved on an axle of the car and carrying the journal-bearings for said shafts, and a cross-piece, said side and cross pieces being integral and forming three sides of a continuous frame independent of the motor, as and for the purpose described.

20. In an electric-railway motor, a rigid supporting-frame for the electric motor, consisting of the side or longitudinal pieces sleeved to an axle of the car and a uniting cross-piece integral with them, said side and cross pieces forming three sides of a continuous frame independent of the motor.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 7th day of August, A. D. 1889.

EDWIN IVIIJBUR RICE, JR.

Witnesses:

H. O. 'loWNsEND, THosfF. COUREY. 

